Valve system for variable displacement diesel engine

ABSTRACT

A fuel valve is provided in the Diesel fuel supply line to a cylinder to be deactivated. A return fuel line is provided and when the fuel valve is closed the fuel is returned to the fuel supply tank. In open position fuel is directed to the top portion of the cylinder. The cylinder is provided with a conventional exhaust valve. However, the intake valve is modified to be located closer to the top of the cylinder. The previous gap of about ¼ inch is reduced to about 0.005 to 0.015 inches. This allows the intake valve to remain open instead of closed as the piston moves upwardly in a deactivated cylinder when the exhaust valve is closed, to allow air to enter the intake valve in the full up position of the piston. This valve system e located in all Diesel engines including Diesel powered motocycles.

I FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an Unproved valve system for a variable discplacement Diesel engine.

II BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,383 discloses a variable displacement Diesel engine for use in automotive, overland truck, locomotive, marine and industrial applications in which selected cylinders are deactivated and reactivated depending on the load that the engine encounters. The system is preferably computer controlled. If a deactivated cylinder is below the minimum temperature for combustion at the time of reactivation, the glow plugs are activated to bring the cylinder up to the temperature necessary for combustion.

III SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A. Objects of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve system for variable displacement Diesel engines.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve system for motor cycle Diesel engines.

[0006] Other objects will be apparant from the following Descripton and Drawings.

[0007] B Summary

[0008] In accordance with the present invention a supply valve is provided in the Diesel fuel supply line to a cylinder to be deactivated. A return fuel line is provided. When the supply valve is closed, the fuel is returned to the fuel supply tank. In open position fuel is directed to the top portion of the cylinder. The cylinder is provided with a conventional exhaust valve. However, the intake valve is modified to be located closer to the top of the cylinder. The previous gap of about ¼ inch is reduced to about 0.005 to 0.015 inches.

[0009] This allows the intake valve to remain partially open instead of closed as the piston moves upwardly in the deactivated cylinder. Thus when the exhaust valve is closed, the intake valve allows air to exit from the cylinder when the exhaust valve is in the full up position of the piston. This arrangement thus avoids heat and exhaust products from non-deactivated cylinders from burning the modified intake valve. The modified intake valve is preferably operated by a cam to move the modified intake valve back and forth. The supply valve in the fuel line may be manually operated or computer controlled. This valve system is well adapted to large and small Diesel engines including motorcycle Diesel engines

IV THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a Diesel engine cylinder with a conventional prior art exhaust valve construction.

[0011]FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of a the Diesel engine cylinder in FIG. 1 showing the conventional large valve and normal gap.

[0012]FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation view of a Diesel engine cylinder with the improved exhaust valve construction in accordance with the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation view of the improved exhaust valve cam control construction in accordance with the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a variable displacement Diesel engine.

[0015]FIG. 6 is a schematic elevation view of a variable displacement valve control system.

[0016]FIG. 7 is a schematic side elevation view of a motorcycle having a variable displacement Diesel engine with the improved exhaust valve construction.

[0017]FIG. 8 is a schematic front elevation view of a motorcycle with the improved exhaust valve construction

V DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] In accordance with the present invention in a variable displacement Diesel engine 10, a supply valve 12 is provided in the Diesel fuel supply line 14 to a cylinder 20 to be deactivated. The supply valve 12 in the fuel line may be a conventional lever operated ball valve or other valve manually operated with a handle 15 or be computer controlled in a manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,383 hereby incorporated into the present application by this reference as if fully set forth herein.

[0019] A return fuel line 16 is provided. When the supply valve 12 is closed the fuel is returned to a fuel supply tank 18. In open position fuel is directed through line 14 to the top portion 22 of the cylinder 20.

[0020] The cylinder 20 is provided with a conventional exhaust valve 24. However, the intake valve 30 is modified from the size shown in FIG. 2 to be located closer to the top 22 of the cylinder 20 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0021] The gap 31 of about ¼ inch is reduced to about 0.005 to 0.015 inches. This allows the intake valve 33 to remain open instead of closed as the piston 32 moves upwardly in a deactivated cylinder 20. This allows air to enter the intake valve 33 in the full up position of the piston 32. when the exhaust valve 24 is closed. Thus this arrangement avoids heat and exhaust products from non-deactivated cylinders from burning the intake valve 24.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the modified intake valve 34 is preferably operated by a cam 40 movable about a cam shaft 42, which engages a wedge 44 having a taper 46 to move the modified intake valve 34 back and forth.

[0023]FIG. 5 illustrates an in-line six cylinder MI1 computer controlled Cummins Diesel engine 50 including a high strength cylinder block 52 having cylinders 54 having cylinder liners 56 receiving pistons 58 with rings 60 having ring inserts 62.

[0024] The pistons 58 are connected to connecting rods 64 which are in-turn connected to an induction hardened crank shaft 66. A gear train 68 drives a cam shaft 70 having lobes 72 which control movement of push rods 74 which pivot rocker arms 76 to move valve stem 78, and open and close valves 80.

[0025] Two or more valve selectors 82 constructed in the same manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,383 including a solenoid valve 84, acuating a piston and a blocking plate 88, appropriately dimensioned for the MI1 engine are then installed to deactivate two or three cylinders under low or moderate load conditions when the transmission is in high and/or overdrive gear under the control of the CELECT Plus computer 90 whose program 92 is modified to include a deactivation-activation program 94 to control deactivation and activation of selected cylinders 54, and control operation of glow plugs. Alternatively the valve selector operation described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,546.734 and/or 4.615,107 may be utilized under the control of computer 90 and a deactivation-activation program 94′ may be used.

[0026]FIG. 6 illustrates a computer 7 controlling cylinders 1. 2. 3 in an N cylinder Diesel engine with the sensors Is. 2s. 3s, glow plugs IGP. 2GP, and 3GP. injectors 11. 2L 31. intake valves 1Vi. 2Vi. 3Vi. exhaust valves Ive. 2ve. 3ve. and valve actuators/deativators IVa. 2Va. 3Va. for all cylinders. The computer 7 receives the cylinder temperatures from Sensors Is. 2s. 3s, the Load L from a load sensor Ls. data from other Sensors Sx. Sy. and computes which cylinders should be deactivated and activated, and if the cylinders have glow plugs, when the glow plugs of the various cylinders are to activated. The computer then sends electrival signals to to the Valve Actuator/Deactivators. IVa. 2Va. 3Va. optional Glow Plugs IGP. 2GP. 3Gp. and fuel, injectors IL 2L 31 to activate and deactivate various cylinders, depending on the load, the temperature of the indivigual cylinders. and other commonly computer controlled variables. The computer as an example may be the Electronic Diesel Control (EDC) processing unit described in DIESEL FUEL INJECfION. Bosh. 1994 EREF TJ 797 D55. pp 186-191. 

What is claimed is;
 1. An improved variable displacement Diesel engine comprising: a supply valve located in a Diesel fuel supply line to a cylinder to be deactivated; a return fuel line to carry fuel when said supply valve is in a closed position for fuel to be returned to the fuel supply tank; said supply valve having an open position in which fuel is directed to a top portion of said cylinder; said cylinder having a piston and an exhaust valve; said cylinder having an intake valve located close to the top of said cylinder, whereby said intake valve remains open as said piston moves upwardly in said cylinder when the exhaust valve is closed, to allow air to enter said intake valve when said piston is in the full up position in said cylinder.
 2. An improved variable displacement Diesel engine according to claim 1 wherein said gap is about 0.005 to 0.015 inches.
 3. An improved variable displacement Diesel engine according to claim 1 wherein said intake valve operated by a cam movable about a cam shaft.
 4. An improved variable displacement Diesel engine according to claim 3 wherein said cam engages a wedge to move said intake valve shaft back and forth.
 5. An improved variable displacement Diesel engine according to claim 4 wherein said wedge has a taper.
 6. In a motorcycle including: longitudinally spaced wheels; a telescoping front end; a top triple clamp and a lower triple clamp; the improvement comprising: an improved variable displacement Diesel engine comprising: a supply valve located in a Diesel fuel supply line to a cylinder to be deactivated; a return fuel line to carry fuel when said supply valve is in a closed position for fuel to be returned to the fuel supply tank; said supply valve having an open position in which fuel is directed to a top portion of said cylinder; said cylinder having a piston and an exhaust valve; said cylinder having an intake valve having a gap located close to the top of said cylinder, whereby said intake valve remains open as said piston moves upwardly in said cylinder when the exhaust valve is closed, to allow air to enter said intake valve when said piston is in the full up position in said cylinder.
 7. An improved motorcycle according to claim 6 wherein said gap of about 0.005 to 0.015 inches.
 8. An improved motorcycle according to claim 6 wherein said intake valve is operated by a cam movable about a cam shaft.
 9. An improved motorcycle according to claim 8 wherein said cam engages a wedge to move said intake valve shaft back and forth.
 10. An improved motorcycle according to claim 9 wherein said wedge has a taper. 